[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 165 (Thursday, August 26, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 46657]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-22216]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D.072899D]


Sea Turtle Conservation; Shrimp Trawling Requirements

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces the availability of the report on the June 1998 
Turtle Excluder Device (TED) testing session.

DATES: August 26, 1999.
ADDRESSES: Requests for copies of the 1998 TED testing report may be 
submitted to the Chief, Harvesting Systems and Engineering Branch, 
Mississippi Laboratories, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, NMFS, 
P.O. Drawer 1207, Pascagoula, MS 39568-1207.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barbara Schroeder, 301-713-1401, or 
Charles A. Oravetz, 727-570-5312.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Harvesting Systems and Engineering 
Branch of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Mississippi 
Laboratories, Pascagoula Facility conducted SCUBA diver evaluations and 
testing of modified TED designs using the small turtle test protocol 
(Federal Register, Vol. 55, No. 195) in Panama City, Florida, May 29- 
June 14, 1998. The project objectives were to: (1) test and evaluate 
candidate Andrews soft TED designs for the exclusion of juvenile sea 
turtles, (2) develop detailed installation criteria for soft TED 
designs which pass the efficiency test, (3) examine the consistency of 
installation with the currently approved Parker soft TED design among 
different trawl types and sizes, and (4) provide vessel and diver 
support in conducting a multiple submergence experiment on 2 year old 
loggerhead sea turtles.
    Soft TEDs were prohibited in December 1997 (61 FR 66933) due to 
difficulties with installing them correctly and observed sea turtle 
takes during controlled testing and commercial trawling operations. The 
Parker soft TED, however, was approved for use in the shrimp industry 
through October 13, 1999 (63 FR 17956, April 13, 1998). The approval 
was based on information from tests conducted in 1997 which showed the 
Parker design to be effective in excluding sea turtles in certain net 
configurations. Its use after October 13, 1999, will be determined 
based on an evaluation of the 1998 TED testing report made available 
through this Federal Register notice as well as an evaluation of 
observations made during commercial fishing activities, enforcement 
data and stranding data.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1531-1543 et seq.

    Dated: August 20, 1999.

Wanda L. Cain,
Acting Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 99-22216 Filed 8-25-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F